US EditionUS special envoy for Iraq Mark Savaya no longer in the post: Report
Mark Savaya's departure follows criticism over his failure to block Nouri al-Maliki's nomination amid US efforts to limit Iranian influence in Iraq, sources said.
- Sources said Mark Savaya, named in October as US special envoy for Iraq, is no longer in that role, with no immediate explanation or replacement announced.
- Named as part of several Arab American appointments, Savaya's private-sector profile stood out, despite having no diplomatic experience and running a cannabis business in Detroit.
- His X account went inactive on Thursday, and he did not respond to follow-up messages on Friday and Saturday, two sources said.
- A senior Iraqi official and an unnamed source said Tom Barrack, US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, is expected to take over the Iraq portfolio, while the State Department declined to comment.
- Amid growing tensions over Iranian influence, the move follows US warnings about Maliki's nomination, coming days after Trump warned Iraq it could lose assistance.
23 Articles
23 Articles
US special envoy for Iraq Mark Savaya no longer in the post
Mark Savaya, named by U.S. President Donald Trump as special envoy for Iraq in October, is no longer in that role, sources familiar with the move said. The move comes amid growing tensions between Washington and Baghdad over Washington's push to curb Iranian influence in Iraqi politics. Savaya, a Christian Iraqi-American entrepreneur, was among a handful of Arab Americans named to senior posts by Trump, who campaigned heavily during the 2024 pre…
Has Trump sacked US special envoy to Iraq? Report says Mark Savaya is no longer in the post
US President Donald Trump has appeared to have sacked Mark Savaya, the US Special Envoy to Iraq, at a time when he has sought to curb Iranian influence in Iraqi politics. Tom Barrack, the Special Envoy to Syria, is understood to have taken over the Iraqi portfolio.
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